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Comparative Resistance of Opaque‐2 and Normal Inbred Lines of Maize to Ear‐rotting Pathogens 1
Author(s) -
Loesch P. J.,
Foley D. C.,
Cox D. F.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1976.0011183x001600060032xa
Subject(s) - biology , inoculation , endosperm , inbred strain , opacity , zea mays , botany , horticulture , agronomy , genetics , physics , optics , gene
Opaque‐2 maize ( Zea mays L.) frequently has been reported to be especially susceptible to ear‐rot‐inciting fungi. Our objectives were to determine whether: 1) opaque‐2 and normal inbred versions differed in disease response, 2) interactions between endosperm types existed, and 3) relatively resistant opaque‐2 imbreds were currently available. Twenty inbred lines of opaque‐2 maize and their normal counterparts were inoculated with ear‐rot‐inciting pathogens in 1972 and 1973. Opaque‐2 types were usually less resistant to ear‐rot damage than the normal versions. Disease severity scores of opaque‐2 inbreds, averaged over inoculation treatments, were about twice those of their normal counterparts. Diplodia zeae (Schw.) Lev. caused greater damage than Fusarium graminearum Schwabe, Nigrospora oryzae (Berk. and Br.) Perch, or F. moniliforme Sheldon with the experimental procedures employed; artifical inoculation with the latter organisms was not as effective as it was with D. zeae , relative to natural infection. Interactions between disease response and endosperm type indicated that opaque‐2 lines can be developed with relatively high levels of resistance to ear‐rot‐inciting pathogens.